The Winchester Four
by Lucy Morlov
Summary: Adam is brought to the Winchester family at age 12, after the murder of his mother. Things aren't easy but Sam and Dean are managing to survive, alongside their newly found brother. The three Winchester boys are done with surprises from their father. But John Winchester is a man of many secrets, and their lives are about to change once again.


The Winchester boys were used to moving out. It was their lifestyle for as long as they could remember. Well, at least for Sam and Dean, that's how things always were. No attachments besides themselves, no fix home or friends. They belonged to the road, they belonged to the job they had to do, and this was more important than any of those things. Dean believed this with all his heart. He wanted, needed to believe all the sacrifices he and his brother did were worth to save lives. Sam, in an immense effort not to go completely crazy, tried to believe too.

Adam Milligan didn't always live this way. His life was different... It was good. He had his mom, a couple of friends, and did well in school. He had dreams, expectations and now it was gone. His mom was dead, his life was turned upside down, he now lived on the road with a father he barely knew and that proved to be very different than anything he had ever thought all these years. He was cursed, Sam had said. He was a Winchester, that was his fate, that's all Dean had bothered to say to him.

And, of course, there were Sam and Dean. The older brothers he always had and never knew anything about. Growing up Adam was pretty lonely and often wished for a younger brother or sister. Though he had some friends, in Holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, when you are supposed to be around family and people that love you, he was usually left alone eating old bread and watching television specials while his mom was at work. Of course, the young teen couldn't resent his mother for it, she worked so hard only so that he could go to school, be fed and taken care of. He appreciated it and tried to demonstrate how much he understood her by saying all these festivities always seemed a little silly to him. Deep down, he always wanted a normal, traditional Christmas with his family, but if pretending he didn't even like it made his mom feel less guilty about not being home, that's what he would do.

The possibility of an older relative never crossed his mind.

Sam Winchester, the middle child of the Winchester bunch, was not much older than Adam, being only 15. He was tall and skinny, with brown hair and those haunted green eyes that seemed to be like a family heirloom to the Winchester boys. Adam had noticed, within just a few days of living together, Sam was a practical and smart person, though it seemed he wasn't given a lot of credit for it. John and Dean were nonchalant to Sam's academic efforts. Adam didn't quite understand yet what kind of parent would be so cold about school efficiency. In due time, the boy would comprehend education wasn't that high in John's Winchester list of priorities regarding his children.

There was Dean, the oldest. Everything about Dean's behavior indicated that Adam wasn't supposed to be there. Their conversations were short, and even talking was the last resource used by Dean when he couldn't express what he wanted or needed Adam to do with arms and hands movements, or just very direct glares. Sometimes, in quiet moments not so rarely shared between the three boys, Dean's hunting eyes were placed in Adam, saying "I accept your existence" and then quickly, the glare would harden and he would turn away. "But I don't agree with it." The fact that they were so similar seemed to make things even harder.

John was his father, and even he wasn't any better. After picking Adam from the house his mother had died, they talked. It was, as was him, a direct and short talk. John explained that he truly wanted Adam not to be a part of this. That he tried to keep him away. He failed. He was wrong. He had wronged two of his sons before him, and now it had happened to Adam too.

"Your mother knew about my job. She didn't want you to be a part of it… We tried to keep you hidden... I'm sorry for everything, Adam… But we are going to take care of you now. And you are gonna learn to take care of yourself."

He immediately learned was that his new family wasn't really kin on the concept of "comfort".

But maybe this was his father first lesson.

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"I will be back in a couple of hours. Four or five at maximum." Dad said at the door. He was talking more specifically to Dean, but the three of them could hear him. A new hunt, a new dirty motel, just the usual in the Winchester lifestyle… Apparently…

It was summer, his mother had died last month and though he still felt the loss as if it happened yesterday, Adam knew it was better to hide this feeling deep inside. He was fully aware that, if he was still in school (John had talked to his director, presented himself as his father, and said that he was taking the boy out of town, to "cope" with his mother's death.)his classes would start soon. He wanted badly to ask somehow how a school schedule was going to work if they moved all the time… It seemed funny, almost, how he was for the first time, so worried about his education. Something that always had been so solid to him now trembled with such fragility… It scared him. He would never go back to school? Would this be his life forever?

Adam couldn't quite put his feelings in words, but he knew more was lost than his mother that day. His whole life could be permanently changed for this. Starting with school.

It was even worse the fact that he felt like he couldn't ask anyone about it. Dean was out of the question. Dad… He barely saw him anymore… Only a few times, when he would come back from a hunt, or during the long hours driving the Impala. And this was a matter he did not feel like sharing with everyone… Adam bit the side of his cheek. He didn't know what to do.

"Boys, behave." John finally said and then, left. Dean closed the door calmly, respectfully, but his aspect didn't match. He looked annoyed, angry even. He stayed still next to the door for some seconds and turned, addressing Sam.

"Sam, come, we need to talk." And saying this, he walked to the other room, closing the door -roughly this time- behind him. Of course, Adam knew he was doing this purposely so he wouldn't hear the conversation. Sam got up and threw an apologetic look at the boy. Adam just turned his head, tired of being excluded. They were supposed to be his family! But he felt like an outsider at all times. Of course, Sam and Dean had spent all their lives together, so it made sense they shared intimacy and.. love... for each other that they couldn't simply target into Adam immediately. He was aware... They had their thing. And after all this time, this was the first time they ever heard about Adam. But the way he was being treated was unfair! He has lost everything! He needed someone, something in which he could trust, that he could hold on to, and he wasn't sure John was the right option…

The blond twelve years old decided he was done with waiting passively for acceptance and walked in the direction of the other room. Trying hard to concentrate, he placed his right ear at the door. At first, nothing his brothers were saying was understandable. Just some angry sounds in what he identified as Sam's voice and some huffs he recognized as Dean's. After some time, the words started to formulate.

"He is hiding something, Dean! Something ELSE!" "You are being paranoid." "You're being blind!"

The tone was harsh. Even not being able to see them, Adam could imagine Sam's hands and arms gesticulating hard as he tried to make his point. "I don't know what it is, but I'm sure is going to be something as big as Adam…" "The kid… It's not dad's fault…" So, Sam thought that John was hiding some other big secret… Some secret as bombastic as his very existence. How could a man hide so much? Where all those secrets were placed?

Dean, as expected, was defending the Winchester patriarch.

"What I'm saying is that something big is gonna happen. Again. Don't you think the way he has been acting is weird? After everything was settled with Adam, he didn't just grab the first hunt we could find and dragged us along. He waited. And now we are here, and now he left, but we know you can't hunt anything in two hours so where is he going?" Sam's monologue set Adam's heart on fire. What could possibly be so big their father felt the need to hide? He switched sides and decided to kneel to hear better. But his shoes were slippery and Adam ended up hitting his head on the wood door. The conversation stopped and Dean opened the piece of wood at the same second, so fast Adam didn't have the time to think in a good excuse. He sucked at lying anyway.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Dean shouted. Adam would never admit it, maybe not even for himself, but he was kinda intimidated by how tall and strong his older brother was. Dean was a respectable figure. Adam did not find the strength to answer.

"Dean…" Sam appeared behind the oldest. "We were kind of being jerks to him… He is a part of us now, he should know…" The middle brother was cut by the youngest protest:

"And be a part of!"

Sam managed to smile a little.

"And be a part of things."

Dean sighed. Adam's presence wasn't an easy thing for Dean to digest. Acknowledge his presence, his importance in this kind of thing, this secretive and honest talks only him and Sam were allowed to have, it was like forcing the boy's existence in his face. It wasn't like Dean had something about Adam himself. But everything he represented bothered Dean. He was almost a walking metaphor. A little, soft, blonde haired and blue eyed embodiment of John Winchester's faults and mistakes.

It unnerved Dean because his dad was supposed to be the mighty one. The one he could always trust to be right despite his own doubts. As Dean grew older and older, he also realized this version of his dad was as true as the "Polite and warm John Winchester" kinda dad he had been to Adam all these years. Only a facade to cover his true self.

"Fine." The oldest boy finally said. Adam got up, suddenly enthusiastic, and joyed the room, sitting happily in the bed. Dean rolled his eyes and Sam chuckled. As the firstborn Winchester closed the door, Sam started talking again.

"We think dad's hiding some other big secret… A secret like you…" Adam's eyes widened.

"Another brother?"

"Hopefully not…" Sam started slowly. "But something just as important." The young boy looked at Dean, and it was clearly spread his older brother's face he didn't believe in a single word Sam had just said. "He is acting weird…"

"These paranoid conspiracies will be over soon," Dean spoke. Even though he evidently was answering Adam's questioning gaze, he would rather just say the phrase as if it was a neutral statement. He was leaned against the wall, his arms folded together and he looked as skeptical as someone can possibly be about something. The eyebrows raised and that look of self-assurance Adam almost admired. Even after having his trust betrayed by Adam's existence and all that involved it, Dean still had faith in their father. Adam couldn't decide if this was a bad or a good thing just yet. "Dad is coming home in some hours. He will tell us to grab our things and get into the Impala and everything will be back to normal." He shrugged his shoulders. Sam still did not look convinced. "Either way, we have to eat something. I'm starving." The other two boys agreed. "Dad left us with some cash while he is away, I'm gonna stop by a Grocery store near and grab us something." Before he could go, Adam reunited courage enough to speak up directly to his brother: "Could we… hm… Ask for pizza… instead?" Dean looked at him, and then at Sam. The more patient brother gave smiled at the older one and his features softened. "Okay, shrimp, today you have your call"

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John wasn't gone for long. As expected, three hours later the old motel door opened slowly to reveal the face of the man that united the fate of the three young boys in that room. His features were dark, contrasting to the almost delicate scene witnessed by his eyes. Adam was asleep in the sofa, while Sam, seated next to him, had his eyes almost shut, in an effort to try to finish the book in his hands. Dean had just cleaned up after them, throwing the pizza box in the trash and heading back to the comfortable furniture to, if he had luck, rest a little himself. The seemed so peaceful, almost normal, almost whole. John was tempted to let the bad news aside, to give them one more night of ignorance before something shook their lives in completely changing manners once again. Something inside him wanted his boys to keep being boys. Just boys.

The more rational and harsh side of him complained and corrected shortly. They were not boys, they were not children, not even little Adam, not anymore. They couldn't afford to be. And John couldn't afford to let them. They were hunters. All of the three. Finally, wasting no more time, he made his presence noticed with a dry cough.

"Sir." His oldest greeted quietly, turning his face to meet his. Sam's eyes finally closed, unaware of his father presence in the room.

"Dean, wake up your brothers. I have something to tell you, boys."

In almost half a minute Sam and Adam were correctly sited and Dean by their side. John Winchester sat in an old metal chair in front of them, and from his travel backpack, took his journal. The three brothers looked at each other with anxious breaths. Dean and Sam knew since forever that the world was not what it appeared to be, but it was not until recently they came to the conclusion that even with the kind of life they had, it was still possible to be continuously surprised.

From the little black notebook, John revealed two old pictures. And showed his sons one of the two. The photograph showed two babies just born.

"This is Adam when he was born." The Winchester patriarch spoke. His voice had always authority, even when not needed.

"Not even my mom had pictures from when I was born." Adam confused stated. "Why there are two babies in it?"

"She couldn't. This is the only one and it stayed with me to hide the truth from you."

"What truth?!" The demanding tone was not appreciated and the youngest Winchester received a hard glared to be reminded with who he was talking to. Sam and Dean seemed to have figured out. John placed another picture in front of them, showing a little girl, seemingly five years old. Her light brown hair was molded by a ponytail and her green eyes were so similar to Sam's… Yet, there was Dean's audacity in them.

"Her name is Amy. She is your sister."


End file.
